Knights Of The Old Order
by Mountain King
Summary: With the ultimate hunter stalking the streets Clark must turn to the one man who can help. But things are never that simple when it comes to JorEl. Preaditor crossover Set mid season 4 on hold
1. Introduction and History

Knights of the Old Order.  
Introduction and teaser.

Authors Note:-  
After much deliberation I have decided to set this as a "missing episode" that belongs somewhere in the latter half of Smallville season 4. This will be my first Smallville story but as always, from me, it is a crossover.

Over the years I've been watching Smallville I have also been reacquainting myself with the comics and the movies. With the new film returning the man of steel to the silver screen and so many questions, in what is probably the last year of the show coming up, STILL need to be answered. Many is the time I've wanted to plunge my fist into the TV about Clarks moronic resistance to his "destiny". Another problem I have is that when Jor-El acts it is always to a positive end, until Clark screws it up and ends up behaving like a spoilt brat. Often causing the even more problems. After the first six times you think he would learn the lesson wouldn't you!

Don't get me wrong it's a good show but it does grate after a while, come on how long is it going to take for Clark to grow up? If he is becoming more responsible when will he take responsibility?

And so this idea came to me. Give Clark a villain to face and a challenge to overcome that he cannot rebel against. Something that Jor-El has a hand in but on Clarks side. I could probably bring in Mongol or Deathside or any one of the hundreds of super alien villains in the Superman back catalogue but those people are a threat to a full powered Superman, Clark can't fly right yet! So I needed something else.

Trawling through Graphic Novels and other inspiration I found an opponent that Superman had faced before and won. A challenge to Clark that would need Jor-El's help and someone with enough history and back story to really get the imagination pumping (and boy did it pump!). Yet still keep within Smallville's overall plot. I give you The Predator!

Yes the greatest hunter in the universe is on it's way to Smallville but is it a challenge? Clark is almost invulnerable, bullet proof, super fast, strong and can see through walls. While the Predator has a telescoping staff, gauntlet knives, plasma caster and the ability to be come invisible. Well we know that Clark can be hurt by a Kryptonian knife who's to say the same can't be said about other off-world blades. A plasma caster doesn't use bullets and given that Clark isn't up to full invulnerability yet it could get interesting. Throw in a little history and duty and you've got a story! So, shall we start?

* * *

Disclamer  
I don't own Superman/Smallville or Preditor those are owned by DC comics/Waner brothers and 20th century fox respectively and while crossover comics also exist I don't own them either. Thats all thanks to Dark Horse comic's work. I just own the plot (if that)/

* * *

Teaser (or The History of Krypton)

The History of Krypton was divided into Eight ages by the great poet and historian Vor-Pen thirty years before it's end. The first was the Age of Chaos, the birth pains of a race. Followed by the Age of Reason when the world united under one banner. Then came the Age of Discovery, where the people of Krypton took the first steps into space. Then the Age of War, greed captured the hearts and minds of the most powerful people. The Lost Age was the darkest time in Krypton's long history. The return of Chaos. Finally the Lost Age was ended by the religious leaders who founded the Age of Theology but like all leaders driven by power eventually they sought power for its own ends. Civil War's raged for the shortest of all the Ages but it was amongst the most bloody. The death of a people was halted by what became known as The Accord. The Accord was written by scientist and priest, warrior and poet. From the greatest of all the paths of life The High Council of Krypton was formed and the last age, the Age of The Task, began.

The Task had no other name. Nowhere in the known universe had anything like it been attempted. The Task was to create the Ultimate Man, an avatar composed of all the dreams and ideals of a race. By the end of it the whole council would be unified, related, each generation taught from cradle to grave the duty, honour and values that all civilised peoples hold dear. The blood lines were mapped and graded paired and re-paired until all funnelled into one person. The Ultimate. Eventually the High Council agreed to name him Kal. This name was closely guarded, as was the name of the house that he would be born into the warriors house of El. But it did not end there, Kal-El would not live forever so they planned ahead. The Ultimate Woman would also be bred as Kal-El's wife and on it would go till the end of time.

It was during this era that the people of Krypton truly launched into the adventure of space exploration. In the enlightened age of The Task the greater aspects of the Kryptonian sprit became the code of the Kryptonian Knight's. These guardians became known throughout the civilised universe as warriors dedicated to justice and freedom.

The Knight's Order obliterated the pirates that preyed on the shipping lanes. They guarded the weak from those that would murder and enslave them and in the end they met the Hunters. They had no name for themselves or their world, both long since lost to the ravages of time. As a culture they were the most elemental of all, procreation was dominated by the idea of the strongest mate. The males prowled the cosmos for the strongest, cleverest prey's. One day they would present themselves to the females when the time came to mate. The females would then challenge each other for the right to bear the greatest hunters. Breeding, physical strength and mental abilities were tested until only a handful remained, who would then battle and be entered into a ranking system. one that matched and paired them with the deserving mate.

Legends of the Hunters had permeated the cultures of the galaxy. Almost all save the word of Krypton. The two cultures eventually met in the darkness of space, the results left both sides stunned. In one of the shortest battles imaginable both sides lost. The Kryptonian Knights investigated the battlefield, finding another scout in the wreckage. Before a repeat of the catastrophe the Hunters sent a message, the proposal was so outlandish that the Knights agreed. One orbit of the only inhabitable planet around the closest star later the two fleets met.

For a week and a day the fleets battled, the only inhabitable planet was conquered at least twice a day and the very stars burned. Nether side asked for, or gave, quarter. The end came as night set on the unnamed world. The leaders agreed that the dead lock could only result in the extinction of both. In the hope that the first communication wasn't a one off the Knights broadcast a diplomatic suggestion. To meet on the world at sunrise. They did and The Agreement was reached. It was based on a simple concept, the Knights of Krypton had proven they were the greatest prey in the cosmos. The Agreement was that if a world they protected was to be the site of a hunt they were to fight in it's peoples place. The Knight's protected the innocent and the Hunters got the best prize.

Throughout the aeons both The Task and The Agreement became legends to others and more of a pair of traditions to Kryptonians than a driving force. The High Council who ruled until Kal-El's arrival were more than good enough at the job. The Knight's and the Hunters actually became allies against the darker forces of the galaxies, when they weren't killing each other. Krypton's final age lasted longer than any other and marked the people of Krypton amongst the wisest and most benign of all the peoples in the universe.

It was rather unfortunate that The Task took so long. Damage done to the planet Krypton during the Lost Age had dropped planetary temperatures to the point where ice storms replaced Summer afternoons. The once golden sun of Krypton imploded, becoming a red dwarf star,causing a massive gravitational disruption that forged the weapon of mass destruction, know as the Green Death, that was used during the Civil Wars and near constant wars and low birth rates reduced the population despite their long life spans. The combination of these events caused the planet's outer shell to freeze. A super cold shell wrapped around a super heated core, the result was predictably catastrophic. This destruction shattered the planet Krypton only a year after the first phase of The Task was finished, the birth of Kal-El. With most of the fleet gathered,as always, over the planet and the only colony-city, Argo, on the nearest moon were both presumed destroyed.

Only two people had the expertise and the resources to recognise the tectonic shifts for what they were; Jor-El and his wife Lara. The parents of the baby Kal-El. With little time between the discovery and the event itself the two Kryptonian's wasted valuable time trying to convince a jealous and sceptical council of the worlds fate. In the end they only had the time and the resources for a small ship. Only just big enough to transport their precious gift, the gift of all Krypton, to safety...

As was the custom of all The High Council a member must travel the universe on his own. On his travels Jor-El visited a world similar to Krypton of old on the very edge of the know galaxies, a small blue planet known as Earth. On that world he found the very evolution that had allowed his people to survive the harsh conditions of the reformed Krypton made him stronger and more powerful than any other on that world. Though primitive and still in its Age of Chaos Jor-El, with the teachings of history, knew that through diversity and hope Earth could overshadow the greatest of Krypton's achievements and avoid the older, larger, worlds mistakes.

To this world they sent the hopes, dreams, ideals and goals of a whole race. To teach by example, guide by deed, and guard with strength. They sent Kal-El.


	2. Chapter 1

Knights of the Old Order  
Chapter 1

Clark flashed a trademarked grin at his editor, even with his super speed and farm yard upbringing the blond metropolis born reporter was always there first. These days she practically lived there, only going home to get changed and freshen up for an hour or so a day.

'Hi Clark, what are you doing in this early?'

'Urm... You called?' he answered. Lois followed him in.

She glanced between the two of them 'Same here Clo. You forget?'

'No.' She answered a bit too quickly; 'I just didn't think you'd be here now.'

Swinging his bag onto his seat Clark watched as Lois asked; 'So what's going on?'

Chloe pulled three pictures from the cutting board 'Sandra Kane, Marcus Sevens and Julie Aday. Recognise the names?'

Pushing past Lois he looked down at the photos, all three were from autopsies and the heads had been removed. the only clue as to who they were was the name tag at the bottom 'All of them had meteor powers, dangerous ones too.' he saw Lois's face and explained; 'Sandra could turn things to glass, Marcus blew things up with a glance and Julie had cats claws.'

'Why is this town never normal?' Was all the tall brunette said. Then she saw the photos; 'How did they...'

'Fingerprints.'

'Oh, hope your not wanting to print those, looks like subscriptions are going down all on there own.'

Chloe spared a second to roll her eyes makeing Clark smile; 'The odd thing was while they could be dangerous they weren't. Marcus and Julie were dating, love for life sort of thing. Sandra was too busy as an artist to even look at boy, even if the rumours were that she was more interested in other girls.

'So someone's killing meteor freaks?' Clark asked, just to be sure.

'Not again.' Lois collapsed in a chair.

'Maybe not, Chloe?' he asked hopefully

She shook her head. 'Sorry Clark no other murders and those three were just yesterday.' The headache that had come and gone all morning flared up again. 'Clark? Are you okay?'

'No he's not.' Lois answered, ignoring the glare. A glare that could have burnt through her if he didn't screw his eyes shut. 'Shouting all night you almost shook the house to its foundations. Then you wake up and almost walk through the dog.'

She wasn't wrong, all morning his head had been pounding and his powers flickering on and off like a bad connection, along with most of his "normal" senses.

'I'll be fine. I think.' Finally opening his eyes he looked out of the window, just in case, and saw a ripple. Something was there hiding behind the ripple of light. Three points of light were aimed at his chest, somewhere in the back of his mind a voice whispered 'A targeting system!'

Clark jumped tackling Chloe while knocking Lois to the ground with a short kick to her chair. He couldn't move at top speed for hurting them, as it was he was barely fast enough. A football of light shattered the window and buried itself in one if the filing cabinets sending paper and metal flying.

'What was that?' Gasped Lois and Chloe at the same time.'

Without knowing why he looked back at the widow as he said; 'A promise!'

The ripple effect jumped through what was left of the window. Spinning back to his feet Clark grabbed whatever it was and hauled it flat against a table. 'What are you?'

It hissed at him. He didn't understand the words, but knew what they meant. He was asking the same question. Clark was so shocked that he understood he loosened his grip just a bit too much.

The thing's claws wrapped around something, something sharp. It ripped up shredding his shirt and Clarks gut! 'Gahh!' Recoiling from the blood the ripple planted both clawed feet into him and kicked itself off and over the table and Clark into the wall, cracking the plaster.

Outside the door a crowd had gathered, Chloe and Lois scrambled to them. As the two slowly stood up Clark fought to keep the wince from his face as he tore the exposed muscles in his stomach. His opponent had stopped, it was looking at it's hand. With a blink the ripple vanished and the thing hiding behind it was visible. A tall, lithe, green monster. Wearing a combination of webbing's and leathers with skulls and weapons attached respectively. Whatever it was a smooth face mask covered its head, the only gaps were for it's eyes. How the mask was held in place was somehow lost amongst the mass of dreadlocks and ribbons.

The alien was also examining his bladed disk, incredulously. As the blood was absorbed by it the disk glowed and the alien hissed in shock. Once again Clark couldn't know the words but he did know the meaning. One word that had a special meaning for the two of them. 'Krypton.'

There were no more words, they weren't needed. Clark stepped to one side as the alien jumped from the window, rippling on the way down. Before the alien landed Clark collapsed. The headache that had vanished during the fight returned only this time he knew why. It was Jor-El warning him. Warning him that the Hunters had come and he needed to talk with him.

* * *

Chloe rushed to Clarks side, he was mumbling something about caves and a hunt. 'Clark! Clark!'

'Chloe?' he whispered.

Lois was next to him with her phone open, 'I'll get an ambulance.'

Suddenly the tall teenager had her by the wrist. 'No. I'm okay, you're not. The two of you, get out of Smallville.' Letting her go and standing up there was no trace of the cut or the blood that had been flowing down his legs

'Clark?' Chloe couldn't believe it. Super healing must have been one of his powers, she added it to her ever growing list in her head.

'I can't,' he winced, clutching his head; 'I can't protect you, and I can't tell you what's happening. Trust me, please, and run. He pushed the two of them ahead of him and ran at normal speed for the door. She knew as soon as he could he would zip off and Chloe had no intention of letting him get away with it.

Grabbing her cousin by the arm she dragged her to the car park. 'Lois; you get the Kent's and get them out of here. I'll find him and get him out of whatever mess he's in.'

'Cho...'

'Don't argue with me go!'

'Don't do anything stupid.' They ran for separate cars.

It took Chloe a long time to get to the old caves but in the end it was too short. She spent the whole trip thinking of ways to tell him what she knew about him and never found the right words. As it turned out it didn't matter.

Creeping down the caves she was drawn to a light in the centre of the tunnels. Eventually she could make out voices 'I'm not you. I'm not your son who you can just call on to clean up your messes!' Clark was ranting at one of the stranger patterns on the wall. The pattern was glowing, that made it quite strange. 'I don't want anything to do with you! Or your destiny for me!'

'My son, you cannot abandon your responsibilities. It was never my choice for you. Choice belongs to other people Kal-El. Duty, honour and responsibilities are the only things we have left my son. You cannot deny them.'

'I deny you! Your rules! Your world! My life is my own, you abandoned all power over me when you abandoned me. You're not even Jor-El! All you are is the recording of his mind!'

'If you won't fight this battle then I must.' the voice from the wall sounded increadably sad, as if his very soul was injured. 'If you will not protect the innocent I must.'

'I will protect them but I won't kill... How can you fight? You can only exist in this wall. How are you going to fight a Hunter?'

'Anyway I can Kal-El. It is good that you won't kill, but you will learn that valuing life sometimes means to sacrifice it.' A lance of light blasted from the concentric circles in the wall, catching Clark in the chest.

It lifted him from the ground, screaming. Chloe jumped to her feet and tried to reach him but inches from her hands he was carried up into the celling of the caves. As a stick slides into water Clarks body was absorbed into the rock. Scrambling to her feet Chloe looked up as blue, red and yellow spotlights danced from the point where Clark was sucked in. they mixed and separated with each other like they had a life of their own. A white glow pulsed slowly from somewhere deep within the rock, covering the whole roof.

'Clark! Clark!' Chloe shouted after him. Looking back to the circles all the symbols had vanished, along with the circles themselves! It took a double take for her to notice.

She made it to the wall looking between the two amazing sights. The wall was now perfectly smooth and warm to the touch. More than that but it wasn't a comforting heat there was something cold, something sad coming from it in waves. A quiet tear welled in Chloe's eye. There was something else, determination, A drive beyond anything a human, let alone a teenage reporter, had felt before. As it welled up inside her a soft thud landed behind. Spinning, she broke contact with what ever it was and looked at Clark as he stretched and rose to his feet.

Gone was the plaid shirt and jeans. A midnight blue body stocking covered him from head to toe, a collar came up around the back of his head and met a skull cap. A dark scarlet cape, fastened with a clasp over his heart, came down over his right arm and reached too his knees but left his left arm uncovered. The blue metallic clasp looked like a diamond with the top third cut off. Inside that shield shape a figure of eight overlapped a smaller S shape. both were cut in to the shield with a dark golden metal. A pair of boots came half way up his shins, they matched two gloves that came half way past his wrists. They looked like they were made from the same material as the cape.

The metal parts to the outfit covered his chest and left for arm. This time in a metallic red. The chest piece was inset with the clasp it looked like a form of armour that wrapped itself around his chest, flexing as he breathed like it was rubber. His left forearm was thick with metal, a cone coming up to and past his elbow, sparkling crystals were half hidden under it. They looked like some form of control console for something. The metal gauntlet also formed over the back of Clark's hand with the same triangular shield symbol pointing to his fingers.

'Clark?'

He looked up from examining his hands, a clear glass piece covered his right face like half a mask. It glowed a gentle white in contrast to the look on his face, it wasn't Clark. Blurring at top speed he roughly grabbed her by the shoulders and pinned her. away from the now smooth wall.

Then in a clipped, almost British accent, he growled 'Who are you?'

End Chapter One

Authors Note:-

Nothing like hitting the ground running! I tried a thousand and one ways to ease into this story but none of them worked. So I went for this approach. But the real reason I am including this note is the knight armour. I'm not very good at drawing so I can't post any art work anywhere. That means that the only way to give you a good image is to write it. The inspiration was a combination of the comics and Superman's costume. Now that it is a battle suit and not a flying advert it needs stealth, hence the darker colour scheme. As for the logo and the armour I have a plan that would explain all (and more). That's coming in the next chapter, or so.


	3. Chapter 2

Knights of the Old Order  
Chapter 2

Chloe, in all honesty, was getting used to this sort of treatment. Her friends minds being controlled, wanting to kill her. In a town like Smallville it was right up there with a new Starbucks' opening up in any other place. She wasn't surprised that she had already been attacked today, heck it had been a slow month up until then.

What did surprise her was that Clark Kent... Clark-"Mr. small farm America"- Kent's biological father lived inside a native American cave painting and was now possessing him. This revelation helped her to miss the question until he repeated it.

'My name? I'm Chloe Sullivan. I'm Clark's friend. What's yours?'

'I am the memories of Jor-El. The echo of the husband of Lara-Tel-El. A shadow of Kal-El's father.'

'Kal-El? That's Clark's name? I mean that's the name the man who's memories you are gave him?' Chloe reasoned while not quite understanding it all.

He let her down and looked around at the cave paintings. 'It is more complicated than that young Miss Chloe Sullivan. You are however close to the heart of the truth.'

'I'm guessing you're not human?... Is Clark?'

'No he is not. and neither is the being you and he encountered earlier today.'

'How do you know that but not my name?'

The tall alien turned to her, a broad grin covered his face. 'He told me.' The smile was completely different from Clark's. It had none of the playful innocence of Clark's patented "Kent Charm". Jor-El had a rouges smile, almost joking with himself more than anyone else. It did have one thing in common with Clark's, it was infectious.

'Your as bad as you're son.' she laughed at him.

The smile cranked up a couple of notches; 'I have had years of practice.' He turned back to the cave paintings. 'Now I have some time before the hunt begins. Could you provide transport to the Kent farm.'

'What?'

'Jonathan and Martha Kent require and explanation. I am not looking forward to giving it'

'I'll take you there. Come on.'

Getting the six foot plus Jor-El in to her far too small red car proved to be a challenge. Keeping him secret was going to be impossible. The big problem was the only way her big city car could get to the Kent's farm was through the town centre. With a alien warrior equipped in the sort of outfit that would make the power rangers jealous in the passenger seat? Ha. 'urm we're passing through town, can you like duck under the seat or something.'

'I take it explaining the presence of a Kryptonian Knight hasn't become any easier since I was last here.' he reached to the controls on his arm.

'Last here?'

Twisting a crystal his costume sort of just winked out. It was replaced with a light bomber jacket, white shirt and working jeans.

'Very Marlon Brando. The hair could do with an update though.' She smiled at him. He grinned back and with another quick twist it was back to Clark's norm. 'There you go.'

'So what's Krypton?' She finally asked. 'Is it where you're from?'

He looked out of the window. 'As I have said I am only a shadow. I was created by Jor-El to guide his son on this world. Yes the planet of Kal-El and my creator's origin was Krypton. A larger planet, in a much closer orbit to what became a red dwarf sun. It was destroyed two days before the Smallville meteor shower hit. I... Jor-El sent Kal-El here. I was downloaded into the activation Key and acted as the navigation computer.'

'Krypton, Navigation Keys, Memory Shadows. Wow, I always thought Clark was hiding something but this is... it's...'

'Big. Oh yes.'

* * *

Jonathan Kent listened to Lois's less than coherent story. 'So let's get this strait; you, Chloe and Clark were in the Torch's office and were attacked.'

'Yep.' the young woman folded her arms and lent into the doorway. 'Clark did his hero thing, told us to get out of town and left. Chloe followed him and I came here.' Jonathan was worried, if it was that dangerous then Clark would have ran to the farm at full speed.

'Did Clark ask you to come here?'

'Like I'm his slave or something. Look, I'm warning you but I'm not going anywhere.'

Clark took the opportunity to walk into the kitchen; 'Thought you were a bright girl Lois. When something that tall make an entrance like that you run. When it starts off invisible and fires plasma bursts, you keep running.'

'Clark what's going on.' Martha asked him.

'It's a long story Ma... mom. I don't think Lois would be interested, do you Chloe?'

The blonde reporter followed him him and got a deer in the headlights look before agreeing. 'No. It's a long boring story Lois. Come on lets pack your things.'

She half turned before stopping herself. 'Now hang on. You're all going out of your way to keep me in the dark. Now what is going on?'

Clark smiled at her and then did something strange. He rose his left hand and it flashed with a white light. Lois wilted like a flower 'Goodnight.' he smiled as Chloe caught her cousin.

'Clark what's going on?' Jonathan jumped between them, Clark would never use his powers on Lois and certainly never so openly. Let alone a new power he hadn't told any one about.

'It's well past time we had a talk Jonathan Kent. About my son.'

It wasn't Clark, everything he was doing wasn't right. It could only be one person. 'Jor-El!'

* * *

Chloe sat next to Lois while she slept. Jor-El was explaining why he was in Clark's body. 'A long time ago in a neighbouring galaxy. Krypton took upon itself to police the known universe. Everyone else were to busy with their own problems. No one had grievance with us and often we were impartial witnesses in interplanetary disputes. Then along come the hunters, they called themselves Yautja... Which means "hunters".'

'That's original.' she noted.

'Originality is overrated. They hunt all intelligent life, the more intelligent the higher they are prized. In effect it's a right of passage, proof of their individual strength and skills. The Kryptonian Knights, our armies, denied them their prey. In doing so we proved that we were the best prey. Almost too good, but only almost.

'After the sort of war that no one wins we came to an agreement. They stopped hunting innocent beings. We were hunted in their place.'

'This is all very well but what the hell are you doing to my son!' Martha Kent just snapped on him.

'I am saving him the anguish of killing. A hunter is here, probably drawn by the mutated powers granted to humans by the Green Death. The Agreement states we are the only two that matter.'

Martha Kent was on her feet, looking at Jor-El like he was a monster. 'I don't care about agreements or galaxies, I just want my son back. You hear me? Give me my son!' she started wailing on him.

'Mrs Kent! Control yourself. I will not leave this body, not yet. To do so would put this world at risk and even kill Kal-El.'

'His name is Clark.' Jonathan Kent said in a deadly quiet voice.

Jor-El looked to the sky; 'By the light of Rao; this is going to take all my patience. He was to be called Kal-El before you're race evolved a spoken language. He is of the royal house El, ruler of this cosmos and the son of Jor-El. You are the guardians of my... his son. That is the extent of your involvement. You have taught him humility, justice, compassion and family. That is why he was sent to you, you are good people if foolish.'

'Not that I want to get my head bitten of but I have two questions:- Rao? and Ruler of the Cosmos?' Chloe butted in, knowing full well which was the more important question.

'Rao was our sun-god, before he blew up, with no little thanks to a renegade Knight, taking Krypton with him. As for the ruling of the known universe, that's what Kal-El was born for.'

'You see Chloe, Jor-El want's Clark to rule us all. How did you put it? "They are a flawed race... Rule them, that is where your strength is?" Well this flawed race has shown more compassion than your enlightened people.' Jonathan's cold voice could have cut into the man possessing his son.

'Compassion? I am saving him from the pain of killing another living thing. My compassion, in this case, is beyond your understanding. Another thing that appears to be beyond your understanding is simple logic. Kal-El is a good man, raised by good people and put through tests, harsh lessons to confirm that he is worthy of the responsibility. This universe needs a leader, this world needs a leader. Not just to enforce his own will but to stop others from doing the same.'

'You can't expect Clark to take that burden.' Martha Kent took a step back. 'He's just a boy...'

'And made a man by his experiences. Who else would be worthy of taking the burden? We of Krypton have practised breeding on the genetic level as well as ingraining our young with generations of teaching. Kal-El is the result, he is the gift of all Krypton to the universe '

'So that's it.' Jonathan Kent smiled in the same tone he was using before but this time he was even more angry. 'You've put so much belief into Clark so many of your dreams in to him that no one can live up to. Clark may have powers but he's no god.'

Jor-El collapsed into a chair; 'A god. How apt. Yes I am putting a lot of faith into Kal-El, but he needs it. It will give him strength, the strength to be a lightning rod. That is what I mean by a ruler.

'You're right, both of you, it is unfair to expect one man to be able to do all that is asked of Kal-El. His world is spelled out for him, his destiny locked on an undeviating course. As was mine, my fathers, his and so forth until before the dawn of mankind. I ask no more of him than has been demanded from them. Only now, he is the last of us.'

'Last of you? What about Kara? The little girl you made from a dead human. She was a lie want she!' Mr Kent sneered at him.

'The people of this planet have a saying. One I... Jor-El found useful. "Needs must as the devil drives." If the devil in man drives them to seek the three stones. If they're able to gain the ultimate weapon... I needed Kal-El to understand what was at stake. Kara-El was to be his cousin, named after Jor-El's father's mother. My brother was one of the City elders of Argo City, one of the few colonies we had on our Moons. He died before he could conceive her.'

'Ultimate weapon? I thought you said "knowledge"... Oh' Chloe got it.

'Speaking of the devil, it is time I faced one. There are the four stages of Rao's Journey that all his brothers and sisters follow, two of wakening and two of sleep. Your Yellow Sun will be high in the sky soon, the second of the days travel is close at hand. That is the appointed time for a Yautja to meet a Knight of Krypton. '

With that he walked out of the room, before anyone could reach him he rippled and vanished.

End Chapter 2


	4. Chapter 3

Knights of the Old Order  
Chapter 3

Lex was making another stop at Lana's apartment with information on Jason. After the whole Japan adventure he'd been coming over more and more often,with each piece of information Jason's aims were becoming as clouded as Clark's to her. Speaking of; 'You hear what happened to Clark?' she asked him.

'Yes, attacked in the Torch office with Chloe and Lois by something invisible. Seems like just another day in Smallville to me.'

Lana smiled 'Clark saving somebody from a meteor mutant, front page news!'

Lex laughed with her for moment; 'I've got a meeting in Metropolis in an hour Lana, I've got to get there. Call me if you need anything.' He went for the door and Lana followed with him.

The two headed down the stairs, only to have the front of the Talon explode. A dark shadow rolled through the debries came to its feet and fired a lance of light from it's hand and back through the hole.

* * *

///Five minutes before\\\\ 

Jor-El's memories were strong in this little strip of Earth. A single street that held the whole town together. Unfortunately, as the geological centre of town, this was where the two warriors had to meet. His back to the sunrise with the Hunters back to the sunset. Great Rao he hated the melodrama and he knew from his combat with the last Yautja they hated it too and both sides could do with out it. Though it wasn't a very good idea for two heavily armed killers to just start demolishing a town/city/planet.

A familiar ripple came around one of the roofs and saw him standing in the high noon sun. As they approached each other Jor-El's shadow went over the equipment he had with him, worrying if he had left anything. It was all there, he winced. As a Kryptonian Knight he knew the need to kill, as a scientist he knew just what and how each weapon he had on him worked and as a philosopher Jor-El knew how each life was precious. He knew that killing was wrong, even if it was right in the Yautja's eyes he was sacrificing his ideals for someone else's. 'Forgive me son. The blood will be on my hands, not yours.' he whispered. With a quick mental command to the armour it charged the weapons and his face mask frosted over as it's density changed.

His opponent dropped the light refraction matrix he was hiding behind. 'Jor-El?'

'Sulta?' The clan marking on his mask was the same, and the cut he had put into it all those years ago.

'It is I Jor-El. You have changed.'

He kept his face straight, Sulta was supposed to be one of the best his clan had to offer and could probably still read his expression . He was one of the most deadly opponents Jor-El had ever faced. 'Krypton is destroyed, my son survived. I sent him here to save him. When I learned of your presence here this personality was grafted on to Kal-El.' He explained. 'I am sorry for what I, what Jor-El, did to you. It will not happen this time.'

'Jor-El, my friend, you were not mistaken.' The Yautja hissed in his own language, the translation scrolled across the top right of the Kryptonian's semitransparent mask. 'Your defeat of me made me fight stronger to regain the honour I lost. I am now Yautja-co. You are the last Knight, the last of the Great Prey. No Yautja is worthy to take your head.'

'You will be, Yautja-co, when you take it.' With that Jor-El began the ceremony. 'I ask that you grant meaning to this hunt.' As one they reached behind their backs.

'All hunt's have meaning. Be what may, honour or death, the people of this world are safe.' They bowed in unison.

Jor-El pulled out the short stave, holding it in front of him 'I am a Knight of Krypton. My word is the bond of my people, my peoples word is mine.' A fountain like mercury burst out of the hilt stopping three feet way before freezing into a thick silver sword of mono-molecular sharpness.

Sulta pulled out a longer stave. 'I am Yautja-co. My word is the bond of my people, my peoples word is mine.' Both sides shot out as the hunting staff telescopically grew to full length, the curved blades unfolding at the tips.

The two weapons were crossed, by braking the contact everything began. Then together they said; 'War's begin and end. The hunt now begins.'

Jor-El dived to one side under the backhanded blow that never came. His side kick was caught and he was thrown into the front of an old cinema.

* * *

Lex watched the proto power ranger as he fired the weapon built into his arm, the technology behind it must be astounding. More importantly for Lex someone was firing a weapon near Lana. Jumping over the banister he almost twisted his ankle on landing, tackling the alien to the floor. 

The tall intruder grunted before rolling the two of them away. Three blasts stitched the ground where they were. 'Good move you idiot, get yourself and these people out of here.' Lex could only just make out any facial features through the mask.

'Why should I listen to you?'

'Down.' the man pulled him down and they ducked just under a flying disk that blew up the two columns they were between. Customers were running for the sides of the room, screaming and climbing over each other to escape. 'That a good reason? Great Rao, two killers armed to the high teeth and you tackle the one trying to protect you?' he lent back and the disk flew back across the coffee shop.

The self proclaimed killer reached for his belt and drew two throwing stars and sent them along the same path. 'Who are you?' Lex asked

'Jor-El of Krypton. Who are you?'

'Lex Luthor'

'Your grandfather was scum Luthor. Don't follow his path. Now get out before you don't have a path to follow.' Lex tried to get to his feet, but found his ankle twisted.

* * *

The Yautja dropped through the destroyed shop front and launched a plasma burst from it's shoulder into the wall behind him. Jor-El pushed Luthor to one side and dived at Sulta. 

As he dodged to one side Jor-El rolled past and reached out to the street, calling his sword to him. As it flew into his hand he could feel Sulta's staff cut the air. He swung round just in time to deflect the sweeping staff blow.

The hunter swung the opposite end of the staff at his armoured chest but Jor-El ducked and made a cut in his opponents gut. Bright green blood spilt across the floor and the creature folded around the blade, dropping its staff.

Before Jor-El could pull back Sulta had wrapped his claw around the sword and fell back, pulling him off balance and into the rising foot.

* * *

Lana was ushering people out of the back door when Lex stumbled to his feet. Running to help him the darkly dressed stranger was thrown over her head and the other one flipped to it's feet with a growl. 

The snarling monster simply backhanded her out of it's way and into the struggling Lex. Blinking the stars from her eyes she watched as the stranger picked up a chair and smashed across the others head. Chunks of wood scattered and the tall guy started hammering at the green/yellow monster with the chair legs until the monster lashed out with a clawed foot. Sending the saviour flying through a wall.

'You do not disappoint; shadow of Jor-El.' It hissed in a disjointed voice.The darkly dressed man kicked the bits of wall off himself 'I assure you my skill would be nothing without Kal-El's power behind it.'

'But as you taught me all those orbits ago; strength is nothing with out wisdom behind it.' Lana frowned; something was going on between these two. They respected each other.

'Freeze!' shouted the sheriff as she burst into the coffee shop with three deputies.

In a long second the two heavily armed invaders looked at each other. As one they bowed to each other and said 'Another time.'

Before anyone could react the two of them touched their left arms and vanished.

* * *

'Thank's for calling me sheriff. I'll remember to do that.' Jonathan slammed the phone down. 'Damn it!' 

Martha jumped up from her seat. 'Jonathan; what's wrong? Who was that?'

'Sheriff Adams, it was Sheriff Adams. There's been an attack at the Talon. Two unknown attackers half destroyed the place while it was still full of customers. No one was hurt and both of them got away. The sheriff wanted to "remind" Clark not to get involved.'

Chloe looked uncomfortable to Jonathan; 'Clark... I mean Jor-El?' she asked.

'He survived to fight another day.' the Kryptonian stumbled in, holding his side. The three of them rushed to help him. Together they got him to the living room and onto the couch.

'I thought you were all invulnerable and stuff.' the young reporter asked.

'The density of solar radiation from Sol is what gives Kal-El his gifts. That and the low gravity of this small world. How could I face my opponent with honour with such an advantage.'

'So you took the advantage away. Some barbaric sense of honour is worth more to you than our son's life?'

Jor-El stood up, pain etched on his face; 'Jonathan Kent. Could you murder another being in cold blood? I think not, I will never be an executioner. If dying is the price of my honour then I will die. That choice is one Kal-El would accept.'

Martha put a hand on their son's shoulder. 'This is madness. Let my son go, this monster just wants you Clark isn't some knight fighting for truth and justice. He's just a young man who doesn't want anything to do with your world.'

'This is not about my world, but yours. No matter what I say it won't stop you believing the worst of me.' Jor-El stood up and began to leave.

Chloe jumped to his arm; 'I'll come with you. We'll be in the barn.' and they left.

'We have to do something, Jonathan. He's going to kill our son!'

He held her by the shoulders; 'I know Martha, And there is nothing we can do.'

* * *

Chloe helped the tall Kryptonian up into Clark's retreat. He collapsed into the battered old sofa before tapping the crystals on his arm. 'Ahh, that should help.' 

'Clark? I mean Jor-El?'

'Yes?'

She built up the courage to ask the most important question. 'I'll never get a chance to write this but I have to know. What's it like out there?'

He flashed a grin 'The sun shines brightly. There are humans running around in their lives and there is a lot of corn. You have but to look out a window'

'Most of the corn was in that joke.' she laughed.

'In the universe there are no constants. No laws of nature that aren't bent or broken by those who stride the heavens. It is a wonder to see. For most war is all but a faded memory as great guardians shine like lanterns of justice. And there are others. Nightmares like Unicron the devourer of worlds, Darkside the enemy of all life are rare; but they still send grown men fleeing in terror.' Jor-El stood up and looked out over the fields. 'An in the end it's no different than what is out there. People make their choices and live by them, parents worry for their children and everyone had their own problems.'

Chloe stood next to him. 'The answers not out there but down here?'

He smiled a sad little smile. 'The search for answers is more important than finding them. Look for the questions, every one has their own solutions.'

'Deep and corny, your definitely a dad.'

Jor-El hung his head. 'I am Kal-El's father. Jonathan Kent has the honour of being a dad.' turning to her his expression was torn. 'Now there is something I must know. Kryptonian's have some, limited, mental abilities.'

'You you can read peoples thoughts?'

'No, not quite read. We can project thoughts and memories. Kryptonians also have sort range telekinetic powers. Over the years my bloodline has grown more powerful. Kal-El's mother's family was the same, though the Females of my people are far more skilled and have pyrokinetic abilities.'

Chloe gulped and rocked back on her heels; 'You can move things with your mind and women can set things on fire?'

'That is what I just said. It was theorised that by the mixing of the two bloodlines Kal-El could do more than any other before him.'

'So why haven't I seen him float a pencil or set fire to...? Scratch that last one because of the Eye thing.'

'It requires focus of the mind to the task at hand. Would you be ready to share some of my memories?'

End chapter 3


End file.
